This invention relates to a golf tee. More particularly, the present invention relates to a golf tee which is automatically adjusted in height upon insertion into the ground and which can be releasably attached to a golf club shaft when not being utilized.
It is well known to use a golf tee which includes means for limiting the extent of insertion of the tee into the ground to locate the ball carrying portion of the tee at a selected level above the ground. Many of these golf tees utilize flat members having at least one aperture through which the shank of a golf tee is inserted before inserting the tee into the ground. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,625,911 to Richards and 3,883,144 to Lazow. Other devices utilize golf tees which are screw-threadedly received within a golf tee holder for adjusting the height thereof. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 1,779,995.
However, another problem inherent with conventional golf tees and golf tee limiting members is where to put them after the golfer has completed his drive shot and picks up his tee. Typically, a golfer merely places the golf tee into his pocket until the next hole. In this manner, the golf tee often makes holes in the golfer's pockets. In addition, there is the problem of finding the golf tee in the golfer's pocket when the golf tee is mixed with keys, loose change or a wallet, or any combination thereof.
No patents are known to the inventor in which an attachment is provided to the golf tee for clipping the golf tee onto the shaft of a golf club when the tee is not being utilized. The only patent known to the inventor that utilizes a clip-on feature is U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,300 to Amendola in which a cylindrical split ferrule is utilized in conjunction with an elongated spine for providing a golf club rake in which a plurality of golf tees are disposed within the spine. Such a device does not utilize a limiting member attached to the shank of a golf tee for limiting the extent of insertion of the shank member into the ground and for releasably attaching the golf tee to a golf club shaft when the golf tee is not being utilized.
Accordingly, it is believed that the present invention provides a unique solution to these aforementioned problems.